You will need to sign on with your LLLID (La Leche League ID) before you can post. If you have never claimed your LLLID, create your LLLID now. To sign in, click the LLLID Sign On button in the upper right corner. Enter your LLLID Alias and click the button again.

Overfeeding?

Hi all, you have been such a great resource so I am reaching out again.

My son is almost 10 weeks. At his 2 month appt, he weighed 15.10 and his birth weight was 7.7. He is EBF. So obviously he has no weight issues.

I am wondering if I am misreading hunger cues. When he gets upset, I offer the breast and he always takes it. I have s bit of oversupply as well. Then when he cries and pulls away, I burp him and try again.

I guess I am assuming that he's had his fill only when he has that drunken sailor look or fall asleep after feeding.

Is that true? Does my son always need to sleep or appear satisfied after feeding? He always wants to suck so even when he pulls away and cries, I ofer him the breast and he always takes it.

I am worried that I am overfeeding him and misunderstanding satisfaction signs. I just want your advice on whether a baby will always look satisfied or fall asleep if they've had enough.

If he doesn't want more, but is still crying and wide awake, what should I do to get him to sleep? I have been using the Ergo to walk him around.

Re: Overfeeding?

You can't over feed if you are exclusively breastfeeding. You can offer as frequently as you please, and it is not overfeeding. If your baby chooses to nurse, then he needs to nurse. Breastfed babies tend to pack on lots of weight early on, then slim down when they get more mobile. My baby was super fat as an infant - triple layer rolls fat - but he slimmed down significantly around his first birthday and is fairly proportional now.

If walking your baby in the Ergo gets him to sleep, then that is what you should do. I've done exactly the same thing on numerous occasions.

Re: Overfeeding?

At 10 weeks, looking satisfied and/or falling asleep aren't the only indicators of baby having had enough to eat. Older babies wake up more and more and they will not always simply doze off or look "milk-drunk" after nursing. Your reaction to offer the breast is the right one. If baby isn't hungry, he won't nurse.

Re: Overfeeding?

My little guy is 5 weeks, and I was worried about this too (at birth he was 7.10 and at one month he was 10.4). After reading posts on here and everyone's great advice, I'll say the same thing - you can't over feed. If he's hungry, he'll eat. He might only be a little hungry or A LOT hungry, but you won't know unless you offer it. There are definitely times where I can tell he's getting worked up bc he's tired, so I usually hold him close and walk/rock him and hum. He also passes out when I get him in the Moby. I'm slowly learning he knows what he wants and when, so I need to trust the process.

Re: Overfeeding?

Yes you can't overfeed, but it's ok if baby want to be latched on a lot at that young age. You are all he really knows, he experiences like and the world through you so he nurses for food but also for comfort and to reconnect with you. If you really watch him, I will bet that when he comfort nurses he's really only getting a small trickle of milk, not the gulping swallows.

Re: Overfeeding?

Great advice already but wanted to add that I carry my babies in a wrap all day for at least 4 months. They nap in the wrap and people tend to give me advice (never asked for it :P ) saying if you don't put her down, she will never sleep in her own bed. Well, they all ended up sleeping in their own bed at some point and DD3 is my best sleeper, she almost puts herself to sleep, she's only 6mo. I say, follow your intuition, you won't be wrong

Re: Overfeeding?

Originally Posted by @llli*lasbi.modeu

Great advice already but wanted to add that I carry my babies in a wrap all day for at least 4 months. They nap in the wrap and people tend to give me advice (never asked for it :P ) saying if you don't put her down, she will never sleep in her own bed. Well, they all ended up sleeping in their own bed at some point and DD3 is my best sleeper, she almost puts herself to sleep, she's only 6mo. I say, follow your intuition, you won't be wrong

Not to thread jack, but I just wanted to say that this is SO reassuring! Logically I *know* that DS won't forever need to fall asleep in our bed with my breast in his mouth nor will he forever need to be snug in the Moby for a nap, but sometimes I still wonder (especially when I look at the expensive swing that sits very much unused despite how everyone said it'd be a lifesaver cuz it'll rock him to sleep)...

OP: DS NEVER pulls off on his own and ALWAYS falls asleep on the breast. I'm slooooooooooowly learning when he's sucking just to get himself to sleep, at which point he swiftly gets wrapped in the Moby and sleeps away; or when he's dozing off but not really tired but done eating and ready for some "play time" aka mama singing to him and showing him all the "cool" stuff around the house...then gets wrapped up for a nap

Re: Overfeeding?

Originally Posted by @llli*brogers

@raejoy - how do you do the nursing to Moby transition?? Do you have the Moby already on? I've been wanting to do this but can't figure out how!

No, I tried once nursing in it and DS was not a fan! : I just gently lay him down for a quick minute while I get it set up, first looking for tired cues (long blinks, yawning) to make sure he's tired and not really hungry still. Sometimes he'll grizzle for a bit, and unless he's REALLY tired I usually have to vacuum or dance around to settle him down, but then he sleeps for a while.